I am getting really discouraged the job market in pharma…ideas on career pivot strategy?

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In pharma, you either innovate or evaporate. Merck is facing the ultimate test as its $30B+ powerhouse, Keytruda, heads toward the patent cliff. With Gardasil sales underperforming, the pressure has triggered a wave of restructuring, layoffs, and high-stakes acquisitions.
​The goal? A projected $70B+ in revenue by the mid-2030s. However, the next two years are the true "make or break" period: assets representing 70% of that future growth face critical late-stage clinical readouts. I have been here 25+ years and seen it happened before; especially after the Schering merger where revenue went from $48B to $39B, there was no growth for quite a while. There were massive layoffs but the Keytruda came along. I believe it will work out and Merck will be in a better position.

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Thank you! Yes Lilly has been strong, and well it’s way bigger and so more robust to shakes here and there.
Amgen imo is good for stock they give dividends even if they have to cut workforce. I am not a fan of that strategy but I know forces with more than decades in the company.

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The reason why the pharma job market is bad is because these companies are laying off loads of people. Also, the job market in the US is bad too. There is a demand for RN nurses, physical assistants, PCPs and Agentic AI implementation.

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I am considering doing a pharmd- worst case I can become a pharmacist at local cvs

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​I don’t know your specific motives for a career change, but if you’re looking for stability, you need to know that pharmacy is currently in the 'eye of the storm.' It is a high-risk play right now for two major reasons:
​The Regulatory: The government has finally cracked down on PBMs with the Consolidated Appropriations Act. By banning 'spread pricing' and demanding total transparency, the traditional profit model that sustained retail pharmacies is shrinking. This means tighter margins, more store closures, and more 'retail grind' for the staff left behind.
​The Rise of Agentic AI: We aren't just talking about robots filling bottles anymore. Agentic AI that can reason, audit, and make clinical decisions and is already being piloted to handle the high-level drug interaction checks that used to require a human PharmD. In 10 years, the 'dispensing' role may be almost entirely automated.
​ If you love the science of medicine but want to avoid a shrinking ROI, I would suggest looking at careers in Health Informatics, Medical Science Liaison (MSL) roles, Machine learning or Biotechnology/BioInformatics. These fields use the same scientific brainpower but sit on the growth side of technology rather than the side being replaced by it. Basically, find out what you are passionate about and look for a career field that bring that out.

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For 20 years Merck has always been a tough one to deal with 🤣

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